Blake Vines | Reporter
Baylor opened Big 12 play Saturday with a hard-fought loss to Arizona State, dropping its conference home opener 27-24 on a walk-off field goal.
Those kinds of losses can take a toll on players and coaches, who are looking to Week 5 as an opportunity to rebound.
“There’s a somberness there still, so we had to kind of work it out in the practice,” head coach Dave Aranda said. “You can prepare, you can practice, you can do all of these things, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to win. There’s still more things that you got to do.”
Keeping one’s head high after a tough loss can always be difficult. But athletes bounce back, and Baylor’s are looking forward to the next opportunity.
“If one side’s down, the other side picks it up,” Aranda said. “If one side makes a huge play, there’s a momentum that you can ride and get another play, and we’re just going to continue to preach that.”
Consistently making plays and pushing to shift the momentum of the game helps to relieve pressure when a play is not executed perfectly.
Aranda’s risk-taking strategy on fourth downs exemplifies this mindset. Baylor has converted 10 fourth downs this season, while the team’s opponents have attempted four total against the Bears.
“The touchdowns are so much more impactful than a field goal, but going for fourth downs, defensively, if you don’t get it, you’re in a tough spot,” Aranda said. “I think football is a game of momentum; for us, the most important thing is to play together from start to finish.”
While Baylor wants to continue focusing on momentum throughout a game, it is much easier said than done. With another Big 12 matchup around the corner, Baylor intends to stay focused on the next game against Oklahoma State.
“We just keep working,” Aranda said. “You got to put the focus on what’s next. I think once they see the talent that’s there and the potential with this team in Stillwater, they’re going to have a lot of respect for them and know that it’s going to take our best to go over there and get a win.”
Oklahoma State sits at 1-2 after a blowout loss to No. 6 Oregon and an upset at home against Tulsa. After the Tulsa loss, the school fired longtime head coach Mike Gundy Tuesday ahead of its conference opener, elevating offensive coordinator Doug Meacham to the interim role.
Baylor will look to bounce back against Oklahoma State at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.
